Springfield, MA
SPRINGFIELD-A center, which opened in 2016 and serves deaf people in the Pioneer Valley, was officially dedicated Friday at Springfield College.
The new Candaras Davison Center for Inclusion naming and dedication ceremony was held on the grounds of Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper’s residence.
The facility is named for Gale A. Candaras in partnership with Elizabeth A. Davison, of Wilbraham. Candaras, a member of the Massachusetts General Court who served in both the House and the Senate, helped secure funding for the project that Davison co-founded.
The center, which is a residence located adjacent to campus, serves deaf individuals with intellectual disabilities and provides them with opportunities for employment, socialization, and community engagement on the campus of Springfield College. It is currently home to five young adults who have made the transition from high school to independent living.
The Candaras Davison Center for Inclusion is the result of Davison’s vision to help youngsters from throughout the Commonwealth who are deaf and have intellectual challenges and who, at 22 years old, had “aged out” of their educational entitlement.
Davison approached Candaras for assistance within the state legislature. She then approached Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper to collaborate in establishing the first residential group deaf program on a college campus in the Commonwealth. The center and its residents are a welcomed addition to the campus community.
Speaking at the ceremony were Congressman Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield; State Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, D-Amherst; State Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow; Sister Mary Caritas Geary and Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno.
